During World War II the British Royal Air Force estimated th

During World War II, the British Royal Air Force estimated the density of bullet holes on different sections of planes returning to base from aerial sorties. Their goal was to use this information to determine which plane sections most needed additional protective shields. (It was not possible to reinforce the whole plane, because it would weigh too much.) They found that the density of holes was highest on the wings and lowest on the engines and near the cockpit, where the pilot sits (their initial conclusion, that therefore the wings should be reinforced, was later shown to be mistaken). What is the main problem with the sample: bias or large sampling error? What part of the plane should have been reinforced?

Solution

Sampling error should be the main problem with the sample in my opinion.

Reasons:-

Number of planes is going to be fixed. Hence the estimates given by sampling may not be true for a larger population of the same sample. Hence in this case it is more likely to be sampling error.